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Unbelievable!

A-Z Challenge letter: U – Unbelievable

About a month ago, I wrote about the unbelievable chaos that was Asda Pharmacy’s Collect Service – you can read about it here. I would have thought it might have improved since then. But no. Not only did Asda fail to respond to my concerns at all but the madness has continued.

Each month, I should receive, on NHS prescription, eight loaves of gluten-free bread, two boxes each of gluten-free pasta and gluten-free spaghetti, and two boxes each of the two medicines I take.

Since I wrote that post about how, in 5 months, Asda has not managed to get this right even once, I’ve had another bread order – not that one was due, but they ordered it anyway, along with more drugs. Yesterday, they called again to tell me my bread had arrived. This time, there were two months’ worth to collect. I hadn’t ordered any – my freezer is still full of the 16 loaves I’ve had in the last month. Now I have another 16 loaves to find space for. Along with the bread, there were two boxes of pasta and both the drugs I take. No spaghetti.

Anyone want some bread?

I can’t understand what’s going on though – how can they order extra half way through the month, then order some but not all of the items at the right time, and order double of some things? It really is unbelievable.

It’s also worrying – I’m now overrun with bread, pasta and drugs and have asked them not to order anymore of anything at all. But here’s the thing. Not everyone with Coeliac Disease is allowed by NICE to order gluten-free supplies on prescription. Those who can are limited on how much they can order – the current limit in my area is 16 units a month. I generally have 12 units a month, but with Asda messing up my orders so much, over the last month I have had fortyunits. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I get contacted to say that my allowance is being reduced or withdrawn altogether. It’s also no surprise now that I have been having trouble getting my regular medicines kept on repeat with my GP. They know how much I need, and suddenly, three times that amount has been ordered this month.

And so Asda, just in case you were wondering, I won’t be requiring your pharmacy collect service any more. Ever. It’s been nothing but a headache in the six months I’ve used it and your staff seem oblivious to the problems it causes. Your service really is unbelievably bad.